Automatic musical instrument.



E. e. ANDERSON. AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT;

APPLKCATION HLEB JUNE I9 1914.

Pa te nted Dec. 19, 1916; U U U U 5 wue, mtoz fizz LB UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ERNST ANDERSON, OF WES'IFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NA'll il MATIC ACTION (10., INC.. 01 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 03? AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916,

To all whom it may concern I new and useful Improv ments in Automatic Musical Instruments, hic'h the following is a specification. V

The invention pertains to player-pianos, and. resides more particularly {1) in a novel organization and arrangement of the valve chest, pneumatic-s, conduits and co-acting' partsof a player-piano whereby a simplified, compact and highly eflicient instrument capable of ready application to a piano case is produced,.and (2) in a special construction of the valve features of the valve-chest whereby the bridges and wires commonly uesd for guiding the valves are dispensed with, a uniform throw of the valves is assured and the construction ofthis part of player-pianos is, 'as a whole, simplified and rendered uniformly efficient.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a substantially central vertical transverse section, partly broken away, through a player-piano embodying my in-- vention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a portion of the same, this figure also showing a portion of the sides of a piano case and the usual shoulders on the inner faces thereof which I utilize as supports for my instrument; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through a portion of the same taken on the dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4: is a horizontal section, partly broken away,through a portion of the same taken on the dotted line 44 of Fig. 1. V

In the drawings, designates portions of the sides of a piano-case of the usual type, 11 brackets on the inner faces thereof whose upper edges afford supporting shoulders for my. instrument which is made to rest thereon, 12 the customary music-box, 13 the tracker-bar, 14 the usual perforated music-sheet, 15 the lower roll or spool for said sheet, 16 the bleed strip below the music .box, 17 the valve-chest, 18 the upper row or .series ofpneumatics, and 19 the lower row or series of pneumatics, the lower movable members of which two series oi pneumatics series or row, as shown in Fig. 4.

valve. I make the valves 32 are operatively connected with t 20 of the piano action in a we any suitable manner. 1

The bleed strip 16 is conne with the tracker-bar 13 by the custou tubes 3G conduits 21, and at the Iront of sa' l is formed a continuous air chambe nel 22 in communication all openings 23 and also in connnunio the main chamber through one or more es or condui The valvechest 17 rests, at its ends, he brackets 11 (Fig, 2), and the main cham er 2 1 of said chest is connected, usual,-with the main bellows, not shown, L lead or tube 26. The yalvemhest 17 has in its bot"- tom two parallel series of chambers 217 closed at their upper ends by diaphragms 28 of known character and utility in this a t, and said chambers respectively communication with the transverse ports in the bleed strip 16 through connect c, tubes" or conduits 80, there usually being eighty-eight of said ports and an equal number of said tubes or conduits;

in the top of the valve-chest 17 and directly over the chambers 27 are two parallel series or rows of vertical chambers 31, the chambers in one series or r ow being in staggered relation to the chambers in the other he chambers 31 are preferably, though not neces sarily, circular in cross-section, and each of said chambers contains a'vertically movable. valve 32 which is preferably, when the chamber is circular,polygonal in cross-section and fitted to freely guide at its angles on the wall of the chamber and leave air spaces between its sides and said wall. One point of this feature of the invention consists in having the chambers 31 different in outline from the valves 32 so that the valves may directly guide on the walls of the chambers and leave air spaces at their sides within the chambers. The valves 32 are less invertical length than the chambers 31 so that they may have a vertical movement therein, and each of said valves carries a central stem 33 having on its lower end a head in engagement with a diaphragm 28 below the in the form of on with blocks of wood.

At the upper and lower ends of the chant here 31 there are secured, by glue or otherwise, upon the upper and lower surfaces of which blocks serve to "retain said valves the top of the valve-chest, blocks 3% having central openings therethrough which; jare less in diameter than the valves 32.."iand within said chambers. The facing sid'ejs of the -blocks'34 have pieces of leather or the like secured thereon to coiip'erate with the respectiveends of the Valves 32 in forming effecti e joints when said valves are iii their respective upper and lower positions. The valve-stems 33 extend into or through the openings in the blocks 3% but donot operate to guide the valves. 32, as has heretofore usually been the case. There is 'a distinct advantage in facing the blocks 3 1;..with

,leather or equivalent material instead of facing the ends of the valves 32 with, such material, since in my construction any variations in'the thickness of the leather facings do not render thethrow of the valves irregular, whereas if the leather facings were on the'ends of the valves and varied in thickness such variations would necessarily 35 and 37 communicate pneuniatics 18 are respectively:

modify the throw of the valves. 1.

The upper stationary members 5f the upper serles of pneumatics 18 are secured to.

the bottom of the -valve-chest'l7, i and said communication with the rear s :iof vertical chambers 31 by. means of I a rea grwardly.

disposed set of tubes 35 W 'ose. lower ends communicate directly with .pneumatics through openings in the 1 uppermembers thereof.

The upper stationary me I lower series of pneumatics lg r are secured to the bar 36,'and said pneumat'cs 19 are respectively placed in communication with the front series ofvertical cha'mbers 31 by means of a frontwardly disposed set of tubes 37 whose 'lower iends communicate directlyv du h openin s in Both the %ubes v 1'rectly with their respective neumatics 1 8L153. When the tubes 37 have a directjcoifimunication with their neumatics 19, the latter may be shifted as required on th'eloarer side of theboard 36 so asitoposition them with respect to the requirements to be met.-- h

with said pneumaticsithr the upper members thereo The operation of my player piano Will largelybe understood from the foregoing description without detailed explanation.

It will be appreciated by those familiar with valves depressing the diaphragins.

aced in fibers of the the bleed-strip down through the tubes 30 to the chambers 27 below the diaphragms 28.

The vacuum in the valve-chest 17 acts against the lower faces of the valves to hold said valves down, the stems of said When a note aperture in the miisic slieet uncovers a hole the tracker-bar,atmospheric air will flow through said hole and down through its tube 21 and thence through the bleed-strip and proper tube 30 to the chamber below a diaphragm 28 of the valve-chest 17, causing the diaphragm to pushthe valve 32 upwardly to its open position. This open' ing of the valve 32 closes the outlet port or opening through the block 34 above said valve and then the exhaust or vacuum in the chest 17 acts through either a tube 35 or a tube 37 as the case may be, and exhausts the air from within the proper pneumatic,

causing the movable member of the pneu- Y matic vto move upwardly and eiiiect the sounding of the note.v The ports through the blocks 34 above the chambers 31 and valves 32 are normally. open to allow atmospheric air to flow through the conduits-35, 37 to the pneumatics, but when the valves 32 become elevated the ports or openings through the blocks 34: become closed and then the vacuum or. exhaust in the valvechest 17 may act through the proper tubes .35, 37 to actuate the pneumatics and. the

abstracts 20 connected therewith. There are usuallyv eighty-eight holes in the trackerbar, eighty-eight 'valves 32,.and eighty-eight pneumatics, there being fortyefour pneumatlcs inthe upper row and forty-four in the lower row, with each pneumatic connected by" a tube with a chamber 31 for one 1 of the valves 32. When a valve 32 is elevat 'edthe exhaust through the valverchest 17 acts o'n-the proper pneumatic to effect the striking of the note, and'when the'hole inv the tracker-bar is closed by the music-sheet so as to cut off air fromthe tube or tubes 21 which mayhave been in operatic-n, the valve or valves 32 will immediately descend and open the upper ends of the tube or tubes 35,. 37 to the atmosphere, thereby restoring the pneumatics to their normal or dormant condition.

An important part of my invention resides in the compact and non-complex construction and organization of the .features of the player piano adapting the same to be readily. applied to the piano case, and as a part of this organization I would .c all attention to the fact that the-valve chambers 31 in the top of the valve-chest 17 are evenly divided with respect to each other and'are in twoparallel rows with theotubes 35 from the rear row all extending rearwardly to their penumatics 18, and the tubes 37 all' extending from the front row of'v'alve chambers'31to their pneumatics 19. The

tubes from the bleed-strip 16 are all at the front of the valve chest 17 and at their lower ends some of the tubes 30 extend into the front row of chambers 27 and others extend to the rear row of chambers 27, the valves 32 being arranged in staggered order and thereby permitting the proper tubes 30 to reach the rear row of chambers 27.

A very important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the valves 32 guide on the walls of the chambers 31, and that said valves differ in outline from the outline in, cross-section of said chambers 31. A further advantageous feature of the construction also is that the upper and lower surfaces of the valves 32 are left plain, and

that the leathers or packings to cooperate with the valves in forming air-tight joints, are on the blocks 34 in lieu of being on the valves. I

What I claim as my invention and desire to'secure by Letters'Patent, is:

1. In a player-piano comprising a trackerbar for a perforated traveling music-sheet and a bleed-strip connected by tubes therewith, a valve chest comprising an exhaust chamber and having in its top parallel rows of valve chambers and vertically movable valves therein and 'in its bottom, below said valves, parallel rows of chambers and diaphragms covering the same and in engagement with stems of said valves, a series of tubes connecting the bleed-strip with said diaphragm chambers, a row of pneumaties at the lower side of said valve chest, rearwardly disposed tubes extending from the rear series of valve chambers in the top of the valve chest to said pneum'atics, a board extending below said pneumatics, a row of pneumatics at the lower side of said board, and a series of frontwardly disposed tubes connecting the front row of valve chambers in the top of the valve chest with said lower pneumatics, said frontwardly disposed tubes communicating directly with the lower pneumatics through the stationary upper members thereof, and the movable members of both pneumaties being' connected with the abstracts of the piano action.

2. In. a player-piano comprising a trackerbar for a perforated traveling music-sheet and a bleed strip connected by tubes therewith, a valve-chest comprising an exhaust chambe' and having in ts top parallel rows of valve chamlxirsainl vertically movable valyes therein and in its bottom, below in the top extending below said pneumatics, a row of pneumatics at the lower side of said board, and a series of frontwardly disposed tubes connecting the front'row of valve chambers of the valve chest with said lower pneumatics, said frontwardly disposed tubes communicating directly with the lower pneu matics through the stationary upper members thereof and the movable members of both pneumatics being connected with the abstracts of the piano 'action, and all of the said tubes connecting the bleed strip with said diaphragm chambers being at the front of the valve-chest.

3. In a,player-piano comprising a trackerbar for a perforated traveling music-sheet and a bleed-strip connected by tubes therewith, a valvechest comprising an exhaust A chamber and having in its top parallel rows f of valve chambers and vertically movable valves therein and in its bottom, below said valves, parallel rows of chambers and d1a phragms coverlng the same and 111 engagement With stems of said valves, a series of tubes connecting thebleed strip with said diaphragm chambers, two rows, one below the other, of pneumaties below said valve chest, a rearwardly disposed set of tubes extending from the rear series of va-lve-cham bers in the top of the valve chest to one row of said pneumatics, and a frontwardly disposed set of tubes extending from the front series of chambers in the top of the valve chest to the other row of said pneumatics,

4. In a player-piano comprising a trackerbar for a perforated traveling music-sheet and a bleed strip connected by tubes therewith,- a valve chest comprising an exhaust chamber and having in its top parallel rows of valve chambers and vertically movable valves thercin and in its bottom, be low said VEllVQS, parallel rows of chambers and diaphragms covering the same and in engagement with. stems of said valves, a series of tubes. connecting the bleed strip with said diaphragm chambers, two rows, one below the other, of Pneumatics below said valve chest, a rearwardly disposed set of tubes extending from the rear series of chambers in the top of the valve chest to one row of said neumatics, and a frontwardly disposed set of tubes extending from the front series of chambers in the top of the valve chest to the other row of said pneumatics, and all of the said tubes connecting the bleed-strip with said diaphragm chambers being at the front of the valve-chest.

5. In a player-piano, a pn action comprising a valve-chest having in the top thereof a series of vertical chambers with tubes leading from the sides thereof to the pneumatics, 'aper'tured blocks secured to the upper and lower sides of said eumatic valvetop and partly'closing the upper; and lower ends of said chambers, and a set of-valves confined Within said chambers,- the body.

portion ofsaidvalves being fitted to guide directly onthe walls. of said chambers and differing in outline therefrom.

6. In a player-plane, a pneumatic valve actioncomprising a valve-chest having in the top thereof a series of vertical chambers with'tubes leading from the sides thereof-to the pneumatics, apertured blocks secured to theupper and lower sides of said top and partly closing the upper and lower ends of said chambers, and a set of valves'confined within said chambers, thebody portionjof 'said valves being fitted to guide directly on the walls of said chambers and differing in outline therefrom, the chambers being circular in cross-section and the valves polygonal in cross-section. I

7. In a player-piano, a pneumatic valve action comprising a valve-chest having in the, top thereof a series of vertical chambers with tubes leading from the sides thereof to the. pneumatics, apertured blocks secured to the upper and lower sides of said top and partly closing the upper and lower ends of.

said cha-mbers,and having packing material secured on-th'eir facing sides, and ajset of vertically movable valves confined within said chambers and adapted in their respective positions to engage said blocks for 0108: 

